Boar’s Head has appointed Frank Yiannas as chief food safety advisor on interim basis, effective immediately.

The appointment comes after the company announced it would permanently discontinue its liverwurst product and indefinitely close its Jarratt, Va., plant due to a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak that has sickened 59 people and has resulted in 10 deaths.

In this role, Yiannas will be responsible for helping to ensure standards of food safety and quality across the organization. He will also oversee the nationwide search for a chief food safety officer to succeed him.

In addition to his responsibilities as chief food safety advisor, Yiannas will chair the Boar's Head Food Safety Advisory Council, which is comprised of independent industry-leading food safety experts. The council will provide guidance and support to the company's adoption and implementation of enhanced quality food safety programs. As previously announced, additional founding council members include Dr. David Acheson, Dr. Mindy Brashears and Dr. Martin Wiedmann. 

“We are continuing to take actions to ensure that we are operating in the safest manner possible across our network of facilities,” Boar’s Head said in a statement. “As part of these efforts, we are pleased to appoint Frank Yiannas as our chief food safety advisor on an interim basis. Mr. Yiannas brings significant food safety and regulatory experience and expertise that will be pivotal in helping us shape our food safety programs going forward.”

Yiannas is the former deputy commissioner for food policy and response at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and brings experience in regulatory oversight and public health. His leadership in implementing the FDA's Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) has improved food safety standards across the nation. A renowned food safety expert, microbiologist and author, Yiannas has also held food safety leadership roles at Walmart and Disney. He is a past president of the International Association for Food Protection and a past vice-chairman of the Global Food Safety Initiative, as well as an adjunct professor in the Food Safety program at Michigan State University.